Hobby Lobby fallout: The Illinois proposal aims to coax more health care providers into expanding family planning services by increasing their reimbursement rates starting Oct. 1. Officials are weighing whether the state has the legal authority to require health care providers that do not provide contraceptive services to refer interested patients to institutions that do offer the information.

Stack and Rose are millennial activists. For all their political differences, Stack and Rose have quite a bit in common. Both were raised in large, religious families. Both learned the values of social justice from nuns. They both turn 26 this summer. Both consider themselves feminists and speak in that patois, using words like empowerment and choice.The Abortion War's Special Ops

GSR in Africa -- The Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa is meeting in Zimbabwe and GSR managing editor Mary Lou Nolan is there. Global Sisters Report, devoted to covering the mission and ministry of Catholic women religious. It offers news, commentary and reflections on spirituality and theology.

Damian Thompson says: If you want to understand how Pope Francis is planning to change the Catholic church, then don’t waste time searching for clues in the charming, self-effacing press conference he gave on the plane back from South Korea on Monday. It’s easy to be misled by the pope’s shoulder-shrugging interviews and impromptu phone calls. The Pope's real reform plan. It's about money

Looking for a little inspiration to begin your day? NCR's sister publication, Celebration, gives you two options, both based on the Scripture readings of the day:

Pencil Preaching is a blog in which Celebration editor Pat Marrin combines Scripture and sketching to reflect on the Word.

Daily Bread is a series of short reflections written by four authors who meet regularly to share the readings. Daily Bread is intended to help daily preachers and others who pray from the assigned Scriptures each day to orient themselves to the Living Word addressed to the church in the world. It's a great way to begin the day.